Josh Thomas
Who: Josh Thomas
Where: Virginia House of Delegates District 21 (Western Prince William County including Manassas, Gainesville and Haymarket)
Why: By now DITB readers are familiar with several stand-out candidates—such as Kimberly Pope Adams, Lily Franklin and Stacey Carroll—who are angling to color their districts blue in the Virginia House of Delegates in November. But with just a one-seat Democratic majority in the House, there are also a number of vulnerable incumbents who shouldn’t be overlooked.
Josh Thomas won his race in 2023 by a slim 925 votes. Since then his district has been rocked by the firings and layoffs of federal workers. Thomas is an attorney and former Marine who joined Virginia’s Medical Reserve Corps during the pandemic. In his first term, he spearheaded a bill to more closely regulate data centers—a key issue in this district. That bill was vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Thomas also sponsored a bill that Youngkin signed that makes a person guilty of involuntary manslaughter if they knowingly manufacture, sell, or distribute a controlled substance containing fentanyl that unintentionally causes another person's death. Other issues that he prioritizes are maternal wellness and affordable housing for young families like his.
Gregory Gorham, the Republican challenger, is a retired IT professional. According to his campaign webpage, advocating for the Manassas National Battlefield Park and making states great again are his top two priorities.
Thomas’ campaign is one of several Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee spotlight races in Virginia receiving funds from the national and state party coffers. Even so, those dollar amounts are small enough that your contribution can still make a difference.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Cardinal News, Virginia Mercury